MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

Results tagged ‘ Jim Thome ’

Do you want Geovany Soto’s catcher’s mask that White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen gave the boot? How about sharing a six-course dinner for 10 at Kerry Wood’s home? Or an autographed ukulele and CD of Eddie Vedder’s “Ukulele Songs?” You can bid now on those items, part of the Kerry Wood Strike Zone Celebrity Bowling Tournament, to be held Sept. 18 at 10pin Bowling Lounge in Chicago.

The online auction is now underway and proceeds from the event will benefit the Wood Family Foundation, which has raised more than $2 million for children in and around the Chicago area already.

Both Soto and Guillen autographed the catcher’s mask that the White Sox manager kicked during an Interleague game between the intracity rivals this year. Other items available is a chance to work with the Wrigley Field grounds crew in 2012 or two tickets to a 2012 taping of “Saturday Night Live” in New York. There’s something for everyone, including autographed jerseys by the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter, and a bat autographed by Phillies slugger Ryan Howard. If you’re a South Side baseball fan, there are items autographed by the White Sox’s Juan Pierre, Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski. Troy Tulowitzki, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jim Thome and Robinson Cano donated autographed items, and if you’re a Phillies fan, there’s a package that includes jerseys signed by their starters Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Roy Halladay.

The online auction will close at 10 p.m. CT on Sept. 17. The auction will continue at the bowling tournament on Sept. 18. Go to the KerryWoodStrikeZone.org for more information. More items are being added daily so it’s wise to check back often.

On Sunday, before Marlon Byrd even got to HoHoKam, he had already taken a few swings in front of the mirror in his Arizona condo. He then drove to the park, much earlier than the other regulars, got dressed, had his breakfast, and was ready to hit. But as Byrd was headed to the batting cages, Rudy Jaramillo was walking in. The two joked about the timing — and, naturally, Jaramillo turned around to go back to the cage with the Cubs new center fielder.

The key to Byrd’s success is keeping a routine. He’ll never forget when he first joined the Phillies. Finding a routine that worked was the advice he got from Jim Thome.

“It’s just over tme, finding a routine, picking from all the guys I’ve come up with,” Byrd said. “My rookie year, I came up with Jim Thome, Jose Mesa, Billy Wagner, Dan Plesac, Rheal Cormier, Tim Worrell. I started picking things from all those guys I played with, all the veterans over the years.”

When Byrd went to the Nationals in 2005-06, he watched veterans like Marlon Anderson, Royce Clayton and Vinny Castilla and wasn’t afraid to ask questions. Byrd still tapes his bat the way Wil Cordero showed him. He has learned from Eddie Guardado, Kirby Puckett and Cal Ripken Jr. When he went to Texas, Byrd watched Kenny Lofton and Sammy Sosa. What did he pick up from Sosa?

“Routine,” Byrd said. “[Batting] cage routine. He said, ‘You do the same routine every single day in the cage, never change.’ Over the years, it’s developed.”

On Saturday, Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano said he has enjoyed watching new teammates like Xavier Nady and Byrd.

“I like Marlon Byrd a lot and the way he goes about his business,” Zambrano said. “He just cares about playing baseball. He came here on a mission. People count more on [Derrek Lee] and Aramis [Ramirez] to drive this team but he’s there. He wants to be part of those three dangerous hitters, 3-4-5. That’s a good thing.”

Is Byrd on a mission?

“Yes,” Byrd said. “I’m here. I’m here to win. I’m not here to replace anybody or anything or all that, I’m here to help this team win. They came and got me not because they needed a good clubhouse guy but because they needed somebody to play center field and do it well and I know I can do that. I’m getting myself ready to go out there and play as many games as possible.”

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